Recap: San Francisco vs. Pittsburgh
Sports Network | September 07, 2008
San Francisco, CA (Sports Network) - Scott McClain hit a two-run home run as the San Francisco Giants rallied to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates, 7-6, in the second of three games at AT&T Park. Pablo Sandoval went 2-for-2 with two RBI and a run scored while Geno Espineli (2-0) got the win for getting the final out of the seventh for the Giants, who have won two of their last three. Matt Cain started on the mound and gave up four runs on 10 hits in 6 2/3 innings of work. Freddy Sanchez went 4-for-5 with two RBI and two runs scored and Nate McLouth added three hits and a pair of RBI for the Pirates, who have dropped two of their last three. Denny Bautista (4-3) was saddled with the loss for giving up four runs on three hits with a walk while recording just two outs. Paul Maholm went six innings and gave up one run on seven hits. "It wasn't an easy outing for him," said Pittsburgh manager John Russell about Maholm. "His balls and strikes were close. He battled every inning it seemed like to get out of it and it's a great sign." Trailing by three runs in the bottom of the seventh, the Giants surged ahead in the frame. With men on second and third, Sandoval hit a two-run single and wound up at second on the play. Sandoval then moved up a base on Rich Aurilia's ground out and later scored on a wild pitch by Bautista. After Bengie Molina singled, John Grabow entered to pitch and McClain made it a 6-4 game with a two-run home run. "To contribute like this in a big game and contribute and be here in San Francisco to do it, it just adds to my career," said McClain. "It's definitely icing on the cake and whatever happens from here forward I'll just kind of take it in stride and hopefully I can continue to contribute." Doug Mientkiewicz's RBI single in the eighth got Pittsburgh back to within one run, but Nate Schierholtz got it back in the bottom of the eighth with a leadoff home run, the first round-tripper of his career. Pittsburgh didn't go quietly and attempted to rally in the ninth. Sanchez and McLouth led off with back-to-back singles and Ryan Doumit followed with a sacrifice fly to score Sanchez. Brian Wilson, though, struck out Adam LaRoche and got Brandon Moss to ground out to end the game and picked up his 37th save of the season. The Giants grabbed the lead in the fourth on a leadoff home run from Aurilia, but it was short-lived as Pittsburgh responded in the next frame. With men on second and third and two outs, Sanchez drove in one runner with a single to right and McLouth followed with a two-run double off the wall in right for a 3-1 lead. In the seventh, the Pirates made it a 4-1 game on Sanchez's RBI single that scored Nyjer Morgan. Game Notes Pittsburgh had won all four games against San Francisco this season going into the game...Pittsburgh left nine men on base while San Fran stranded eight...Attendance was 38,094. Game Notes Pittsburgh had won all four games against San Francisco this season going into the game...Pittsburgh left nine men on base while San Fran stranded eight...Attendance was 38,094.
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